Fundamentally, noble ladies didn’t wear ‘inherited clothes’, and those clothes were nearly 30 years old, far removed from the current fashion.

There was a most important reason: Madeleine, now the Queen, was a tomboy who ran around and wielded swords, vexing the Grand Duke when she was a young lady in Winchester.

So she didn’t like dresses that dragged on the ground and were cumbersome.

There were only a few dresses, and most of Madeleine’s clothes were pants.

Even now, 30 years later, let alone back then, a noble young lady wearing pants was frowned upon as unladylike.

The servants had carefully preserved them only because they missed young madam Madeleine, who had left to become Queen, never imagining that anyone other than the Queen would want to wear them.

‘As expected!’

Hailey’s heart was pounding.

‘Calm down. Don’t get excited.’

Before coming to Winchester, the Queen had hinted something to Hailey.

She said that her old clothes should still be at Winchester, and if Hailey liked them, she could wear them, suggesting that Hailey might enjoy at least looking at them.

Hailey, thinking that anything of the Queen’s taste would be pretty, never expected to find ‘women’s pants’ here, and her heart felt like it might explode with joy.

The specially ordered noble young lady’s pants, full of the Queen’s taste, exuded sophistication that belied their 30-year age.

It was a gift from Queen Madeleine, who had accurately gauged Hailey’s preferences. Hailey felt she could profess her love to the Queen the next time they met.

“Are these all the clothes here?”

“All the clothes behind there were worn by young madam Madeleine.”

“Excellent.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll wear these clothes.”

What?!

Anika was a senior maid. The more prestigious the noble house, the more thoroughly maids were trained not to easily show expressions or emotions, and she prided herself on her self-control.

But at the young madam’s unexpected statement, Anika was momentarily stunned, just blinking her eyes without answering.

Of course, not just Anika, but the other maids behind her had their pupils shaking.

‘Perhaps we need the Lord’s permission?’

Hailey asked back, puzzled.

“Are these clothes not to be worn?”

“Ah, no. We’ll, we’ll prepare them for you right away.”

“Oh, and I’ll tie my hair up like this.”

Hailey demonstrated herself, saying to just sweep it up into a ponytail like this.

Only then did the maids hurriedly flock to Hailey, saying, “We-we’ll do it for you.”

Hailey, having dressed herself and fixed her own hair for 21 years, was more accustomed to doing it alone than having someone help, but because the palace maids had fussed so much about this, she now just made motions to show how she wanted it done.

“Oh my. I love it. Thank you all for your help. The Queen’s eye for fashion is truly exceptional.”

Standing in front of the mirror, Hailey was unusually satisfied with her appearance that was completed with the servants’ assistance.

Even in her previous life, she had preferred pants to skirts and always found dresses cumbersome. Besides, Winchester was cold and would later get a lot of snow, making dresses even more inconvenient, but pants — how perfect.

While Hailey had memories of her previous life, she was newly impressed by the Queen who thought to order and wear such clothes 30 years ago.

The maids were amazed not only that a noble lady had thought to wear such clothing, but also that she walked in them without any awkwardness, as if she wasn’t wearing them for the first time.

They all bowed their heads to the young madam, who exuded an air of coolness bordering on chilliness, still dumbfounded.

“Well then, shall we go?”

More satisfied than ever, Hailey stepped out majestically to have dinner with the Grand Duke.

* * *

With even the Duke present, Hailey hadn’t expected to come.

‘She wouldn’t be this late for her first meal with the Grand Duke.’

Theo, apparently hungry, kept asking Axel every two minutes, ‘Why isn’t Mommy Hailey coming?’

“Next time, bring your consort yourself. This is ridiculous.”

Being late for a formal dinner appointment was certainly a matter deserving scolding, but Axel didn’t respond. He thought Hailey must have a reason.

Just then, the door opened and Hailey rushed in.

The Grand Duke frowned, about to say something about the sound of running, unbefitting for the mistress of a grand ducal house, and turned his head towards where Hailey was entering.

“I’m sorry. I was delayed choosing clothes. I promise it won’t happen again. I’m truly sorry!”

Axel, who was sipping an aperitif, choked and coughed in surprise at Hailey’s attire as she ran in, while the Grand Duke forgot his intention to scold her, his eyes following Hailey in astonishment as she found her seat.

As soon as she sat down next to Theo, he called out to her.

“Mommy Hailey!”

“Yes?”

“You look so cool! The prettiest!”

To the eyes of the unknowing child, Hailey’s outfit that accentuated her long limbs simply looked awesome. Theo gave Hailey a thumbs up.

Hailey smiled slightly. Even though it was because of the clothes, being late was still wrong. She felt she shouldn’t appear too confident after being late.

Axel couldn’t even wipe the aperitif dripping from his chin with his napkin, and the Grand Duke was still dumbfounded, blinking like those maids earlier.

Feeling awkward since no one except Theo spoke, Hailey cautiously asked.

“Is there a dress code for the young duke’s consort? The Queen said I could wear it if I liked it…”

Hailey simply liked this practical yet aesthetically pleasing outfit that reflected Queen Madeleine’s unique sense of style. Moreover, wearing the Queen’s altered clothes could save money.

She hadn’t expected praise, but she didn’t expect them to be this surprised either.

‘Has it been 30 years….’

Seeing Hailey enter wearing his daughter’s clothes, the Grand Duke was startled, as if Madeleine from back then had walked in.

The Grand Duke, unskilled in expressing himself, was a father who had given his only daughter more criticism than praise.

He regretted that after sending off his daughter who declared she would become Queen.

From the figure-revealing pants to the tightly tied hair, it was unmistakably his daughter’s aura, just with different features and slightly taller.

The Grand Duke suddenly found himself at a loss for words, his throat tightening.

* * *

There was no particular conversation until the appetizers arrived, which only made Hailey more uncomfortable.

The place where Queen Madeleine’s clothes were stored was much farther than Hailey had expected.

Of course, it was the fault of the maids helping with her attire for miscalculating the time, but Hailey didn’t mention that.

When pickled mackerel appeared as an appetizer, Axel frowned.

Axel had always struggled with the food not suiting his taste whenever he came to Winchester. Moreover, he knew those pickled mackerel well, having tasted them before.

“…Punctuality is the foundation of trust.”

The Grand Duke, who had been staring at Hailey for a long time, finally turned his gaze away when the appetizers arrived.

The Grand Duke, having lost the imposing air from the first day, only vaguely uttered one sentence to Hailey, who was prepared for a severe scolding.

‘Surely that’s not the end of it?’

Waiting for more words to follow, Hailey looked at the Grand Duke with her hands clasped, unable to even hold her fork.

The Grand Duke, feeling Hailey’s gaze, glanced at her once more, then added another sentence after clearing his throat.

“…Don’t be late next time.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Is that it? Axel seemed to think the same, as he glanced suspiciously at the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke ignored that gaze and raised his aperitif glass.

The adults’ glasses were filled with a light aperitif, while Theo’s glass contained apple juice.

Theo, having experienced such formal dinners a few times at the royal palace, diligently followed the adults in raising his aperitif glass. He even pretended to savor it, sniffing and holding it in his mouth.

“Mmm.”

He didn’t forget to make an appreciative sound. While the adults were drinking quietly,

The Grand Duke looked at Theo with a slightly dumbfounded expression at his precocious exclamation.

Seeing this, Axel, who was sitting opposite, addressed Theo.

“Theo, how does it taste?”

“It’s juice made from fancy apples.”

The Grand Duke looked at Theo with an increasingly bemused expression, unable to even think about eating the appetizer.

‘Where on earth did he find this pair.’

The Grand Duke thought that his grandson who had found such a woman and such a child was no ordinary person.

Following Axel’s question, Hailey picked up the next one.

“What does a fancy apple taste like?”

“Sweet and tangy!”

After answering, Theo downed the rest of his apple juice in one go. Having seen it done somewhere, he didn’t forget to make a ‘Kya’ sound.

“Bring another glass.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Grand Duke, finding the child cute, ordered another glass for him.

As soon as the new juice arrived, Theo grasped the glass with both hands and sipped it. Only then did the proper meal begin.